Distributor



,:1943. E. ZOERLEIN ET AL 2,326,113

DISTRIBUTO R Filed Sept. 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l E Z 0091/6212 J 2 1% mm INVEN OR.

W70 F/GZ a B1 QM GJ/WM ATTORNEYS.

E. ZOERLEIN ET AL DISTRIBUTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1941 Z45 Zaar/eim l E0 Ho/Man INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 10, 1943 DISTRIBUTOR Emil Zoerlein and Johannes E. Hoflmann, Dearborn, Mich., assignors to Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application September 20, 1941, Serial No. 411,642

6 Claims.

This invention relates to ignition systems for internal-combustion engines; and, more particularly, to a distributor to be used in connection with such systems.

ihe distributor constructed according to this invention embodies a novel shaft bearing support and an internal construction that facilitates assembly of the distributor unit. It further embodies an improved primary circuit contact and a new manifold connection by means of which the attachment of the distributor to the engine i simplified.

The conventional internal-combustion ignition system includes a distributor having a plurality of terminals from which insulated wires lead to the spark plugs to give the desired firing order. The preferred drive for the distributor is directly from the engine camshaft. The most convenient mounting in which this drive may be had is at the front end of the engine. This necessarily requires sufficient additional room between the radiator and the engine block to accommodate whatever form of distributor is chosen.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a distributor having the smallest practicable longitudinal dimension so that the room required for its mounting between the engine block and the radiator will be kept to a minimum. A further object is to provide an internal support and bearing for the distributor shaft which will perform atisfactorily and yet which may be economically constructed and assembled in the completed distributor without difficulty. Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved primary electrical connection which also facilitates assembly of the device and with which necessary adjustments may be easily and positively made. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved connection for the vacuum brake used in connection with the timing control. Each of these improvements and a specific example of the construction by which they are obtained will now be described in full.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts of the improved device, as described in the specification, claimed in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the distributor.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 through the vacuum brake and its connection.

Figure i is an elevation of the interior of the distributor, the cover being removed.

Figures 5 and 6 are partial elevations of the interior of the distributor showing the range of timing adjustments possible.

Referring to Figure 1, a front elevation, a distributor designed for an eight-cylinder internalcombustion engine is shown. The distributor I0 is designed to be mounted vertically, in substantially the position shown, in contact with the front of the engineblock and aligned with the engine camshaft by which it is driven. As best shown in Figure 2, this comprises the housing I I and the cover l2 held in place by spring clips 50. The distributor shaft is is rotatably mounted in the housing H and has an ofiset key M which will engage the engine camshaft in but one position to insure that when the camshaft and distributorshaft are engaged they are at the proper relative angle.

The rear portion of the housing H contains the centrifugal control for the breaker point operating cam. This mechanism includes the supporting plate 15, the weights l6 and the friction plate IT. The construction of this control forms no part of this invention and a full description of a type which is suitable for use herein may be found in United States Patent No. 2,092,269.

Continuing outwardly along the distributor shaft [3, the breaker point cam 18, the outer bearing IQ for the distributor haft and the rotor 20 secured to the shaft are shown. The support plate 2| is mounted for limited rotation within the housing and is held therein against a rabbet 22 by a split spring 23. Secured to the plate 2i is the bearing bracket 24 which has one end bent upwardly to form an ear 25 to which the primary connection shoe 28 is attached.

As best shown in Figure 1, the cover l2 has a plurality of connecting nipples, one for the connection to each cylinder, and the high-tension nipple 28, as is customary; and appropriate indicating numerals are molded on its surface. Mounted on top of the housing and integral therewith is the vacuum-brake cylinder 28 and its tension adjustment 38. Secured to the side of the housing is the condenser 32 which is connected to the binding post 32 of the primary connection. An air filter 33 is provided at the bottom of the housing to permit ventilation of the interior. The high-tension connection is effected through the contact 34 on the cover 12 and the spring 35 carried by the rotor 29.

The arrangement and construction of the support plate 21 is as shown in Figure 4. It will be noted that the plate 2| has a lug 36, which is associated with'an adjusting screw 31 by which the angular position of the plate2l may be adjusted to obtain the desired spark timing characteristic. As described previously, .the primary contact shoe 23 is fixed to the bearing bracket and hence rotates with any change in the angular position of the plate 2|. Also secured to the support plate 2| are the usual breaker arms 3 8, contacts 39 and stationary points 40.

The primary connection is effected through the spring plunger 4|, best shownin Figure 2, which is insulatingly and slidably supported in the housing I I and whichis in electrical contact with the binding post 32. The lower. end of the plunger resiliently engages the shoe 26. A particular advantage of this form of construction is the ease with which the assembly may be carried out. It will be noted that the support plate 2| is cut out in the vicinity of the primary connection as at 41.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, the support plate 21 with all of its attached mechanism is placed on the distributor shaft l3 and slid inwardlyinto the housing in the angular position shown in Figure 5, the cut-away portion 4! clearing the plunger 4i. When the plate 2| engages the rabbet 22, the split spring 23 is applied, holding it securely in that position. The angular adjustment of the plate 2| may then be made, during which it assumes the position shown in Figure 6, the plunger 4| sliding over and into con-- tact with the shoe 26. This is a better electrical connection and is much easier to assemble than the pigtail which heretofore has been used. Subsequent timing adjustments by means of the screw 31 do not disturb the contact.

Another novel feature is the manner in which the connection between the vacuum brake and the engine manifold is effected. The operation of this brake is dependent upon the manifold pressure in the engine and it has been the practice to connect a duct from the manifold directly to the brake cylinder. This requires, in the assembly of the engine, that the distributor be attached to the engine block and then the duct, through some suitable union, connectedwith the cylinder. The work space is ,very limited and this latter connection is sometimes somewhat diiiicult to make, To avoid this, a duct connection 44 is provided in the adjacent part of the engine 43. This duct connection is joined by a suitable conduit to the manifold during the assembly of the engine. As shown in Figure 3, the

complementary connection 42 is formed in the distributor housing. This is counterbored, as at 45, to receive a gasket 46 and a hole 48 is drilled the ventilator in proximity to the centrifugal control insures a constant circulation of air.

- One of the most important constructional features, however, is that involved in the use of the support plate 2!, which has attached thereto not only the customary breaker arm assembly and primary contact but a straddle outer bearing l9 for the distributor shaft 13 as well. Heretofore, an outer bearing could be provided only by the use of an additional bearing plate located near the front end of the housing or by a bushing contained in the cover. The first of these expedients is unsatisfactory since the housing must .be extended to at least the plane of the bearing,

an additional plate must be provided, together with seating and securing means, and the assembly is made more complex'while accessibility is decreased. The second has the disadvantages of requiring a stronger cover than would otherwise be necessary, a high degree of accuracy in fitting the cover, and redesigning of the hightension contact which, in the present form, is more satisfactory.

In this construction, on the other hand, the bearing support is provided well toward the outer end of the distributor shaft where it is required, but no extension of the housing is necessary as the point of support on the housing is well back of the bearing point. The bearing is carried on the regular support plate and assembled with it as a unit. The cover design is not affected and the breaker arms and contacts are immediately acplacing of the distributor in its proper position cessible when the cover is removed.

Summing up these advantages, a distributor is obtained havin a longitudinal dimension considerably less than that of other distributors suitable for the purpose. The construction is so arranged that both the internal assembly of the distributor and its attachment to the motor block are facilitated. Means has been devised to provide an outer bearing for the distributor shaft without the addition of other elements heretofore found necessary. The primary connection which has been devised not only permits the angular adjustment of the supporting plate but also facilitates the assembly of the distributor. Finally, the manifold connection is improved, both from the standpoint of'permanence and assembly- Some changes may be made in the arrangement, construction and combination of the several parts comprising the improved device with- 1. An internal-combustion engin distributor, comprising, a housing, a cover, a shaft 'journaled in said housing, support means rotatably mounted within said housing, said means carrying the distributor breaker arm assembly, a bearing bracket secured to said means and extendin therefrom toward said cover, said bracket serving as an outer journal for said shaft.

2. An internal-combustion engine distributor, comprising, a housing, a cover, ashaft journaled in said housing and extending toward said cover, means supporting the distributor breaker arm assemblymounted in said housing and having a bearing bracket attached thereto, said bracket extending beyond said housing and serving as an outer journal for said shaft, a contact shoe mounted on said means, a primary contact on said housing adapted to contact said shoe, said contact including a longitudinally movable member and resilient means normally urging saidmember into contact with said shoe.

3. An internal-combustion engine distributor, comprising, a housing, a cover therefor, a shaft journaled in said housing and extending intosaid cover, a support plate rotatably mounted in said housing and constrained against longitudinal movement with respect thereto, a bearing bracket attached to said means, said bearing bracket extending from said means beyond said housing toward said cover and serving as an outer journal for said shaft, primary connection means affixed to said first means and including a shoe having an extended contact surface, a contact in said housing including a longitudinally movable means mounted therein, resilient means normally urging said movable means into contact with said shoe and means by which the angular position of said Supporting means with respect to said housing may be adjusted and secured.

4. An internal-combustion engine. distributor, comprising, a housing, a cover therefor, a supporting plate rotatably mounted within said housing, means to regulate the angular position of said plate, a straddle bearing aflixed to said plate and extending therefrom toward said cover, a shaft having one end joumaled in said housing and journaled adjacent its outer end in said straddle bearing, a rotor secured to said shaft adjacent and beyond said straddle bearing, a. primary contactor slidably mounted in the wall of said housing and resiliently urged to extend into the cavity formed therein, cut-away portions on said plate whereb said plate may be slid into said cavity ast said contactor, a primary connecting shoe attached to said supporting plate, said shoe having' a contact surface and extending cam surfaces communicating therewith, whereby, upon rotation of said plate, said cam surfaces will engage said contactor and engage it with th contact surface of said shoe.

wall of said housing and resiliently urged to penetrate within the cavity formed thereby, a primary connecting shoesecured to said supporting plate and extending adjacent to the inner wall of said housing whereby said supporting plate is placed over said shaft and engaged within said cavity, said cut-away portion permitting the pas-- sage of said contactor with respect to said plate, and cam means forming a part of said shoe whereby upon angular rotation of said support plate, said contactor will engage said cam surfaces and b forced thereby into contact with said 6. An internal-combustion engine distributor, comprising, a housing, a cover therefor, a shaft journaled in said housing and extending therefrom toward said cover, a plate secured within said housing intermediate its extent, said plate being mounted for limited rotational movement with respect to said housing, a breaker arm assembly secured to said plate, a straddle bracket secured adjacent its ends to said plate, the mid portion of said bracket extending from said plate toward said cover, a, bushing in said bracket, said bushing being located beyond said housing and enclosed by said cover, one end of said bracket being formed into an extending ear, a contact shoe secured to said ear, and contact means on said housing resiliently engaging said shoe.

EMHJ ZOERLEIN. JOHANNES E. HOFFMANN. 

